‘Europe’s new unitary patent is still on track, with a start date in spring 2017 now viewed as likely. Among the ongoing business of the Unified Patent Court’s Preparatory Committee a final publication on court fees and recoverable costs has recently been issued.’
Technology Law Update, 11th March 2016
Source: www.technology-law-blog.co.uk
‘A sole practitioner who overcharged by 500% for private client work has been struck off by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT).’
Legal Futures, 2nd March 2016
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
‘Paul Worthington awarded £87,318 for counsel payments and £29,450 for solicitors’ fees to fight against the proceedings.’
Daily Telegraph, 28th February 2016
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘England and Wales should follow the example of Scotland in banning McKenzie Friends from charging fees, the Judicial Executive Board (JEB) has proposed.’
Legal Futures, 25th February 2016
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
‘The introduction of a £1,600 fee to bring a case to the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has deterred many ‘good’ appeals while having no effect on those that are ‘bad’ or ‘opportunistic’, the former president of the EAT has claimed.’
Litigation Futures, 25th February 2016
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
‘First, the Court of Appeal affirmed that it can be (and on the facts was) appropriate to hold hearings in private where a party asserts confidentiality both in the information itself, and also in the “very existence of [the] information”. The Court approved the principle that, where the effect of publicity would be to destroy the subject matter of litigation as to a secret process, it may well be that justice could not be done at all if it had to be done in public. In those circumstances, the general rule as to publicity of Court proceedings must yield to the interests of justice. It is well worth advisors bearing this in mind when dealing with confidential information cases, and making the appropriate applications at the earliest opportunity.’
Littleton Chambers, 23rd February 2016
Source: www.littletonchambers.com
‘A party who beats a part 36 offer in a case where fixed fees apply is eligible for indemnity costs, the Court of Appeal ruled today in the wake of conflicting decisions at circuit judge level.’
Litigation Futures, 23rd February 2016
Source: www.litigationfutures.co.uk
‘This consultation sets out the government’s proposals for reforming the fee payable for an application for a grant of probate. The proposed fee regime will move from a flat to a banded fee approach, proportionate to, and rising with, the value of the estate, and at the same time will increase the value of the estate below which no fee is payable from £5,000 to £50,000, lifting some 30,000 estates out of paying any fee. The proposals are intended to be fair and progressive. The Government is also considering whether grant of probate applications should be excluded from the fee remissions scheme and are seeking views on this issue.’
Ministry of Justice, 18th February 2016
Source: www.consult.justice.gov.uk
‘For some families it could amount to a potential 129-fold increase in costs.’
Daily Telegraph, 18th February 2016
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘Communities secretary Greg Clark has announced that he will consult on whether to reward good performance by certain council planning teams with the opportunity to increase their planning application fees.’
OUT-LAW.com, 16th February 2016
Source: www.out-law.com
‘It has appeared inevitable in recent months that some form of fixed costs scheme will be introduced if the powers that be have their way although it was anticipated smaller claims would be targeted. However, Jackson LJ dropped the hand grenade that all costs involving claims up to £250,000 should be fixed.’
Litigation Futures, 17th February 2016
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
‘Plans to create three new breeds of lawyer – probate practitioners, conveyancing technicians and probate technicians – are being published today by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC).’
Legal Futures, 15 February 2016
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
‘The High Court has ruled that a conditional fee agreement (CFA) was valid even though the claimant’s legal aid certificate remained in place.’
Litigation Futures, 16th February 2016
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
‘Partners at top City law firms are charging clients more than £1,000 an hour, according to a Conservative thinktank which condemns fee rises for restricting access to justice.’
The Guardian, 5th February 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘In a debate, held on 10 December 2015 (Human Rights Day), Lord Howarth of Newport succinctly summarised the consequences of the legal aid cuts as a; “denial of access to justice, human suffering, failure to achieve the intended savings, and damage to the legal profession.”’
Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 2nd February 2016
Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk
‘Lawyers have responded negatively to Lord Justice Jackson’s call last week to introduce fixed costs for all civil claims worth up to £250,000.’
Litigation Futures, 1st February 2016
Source: www.litigationfutures.com
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